Winter Storms
by cheesetaco
Summary: Lily and her friends, along with the Marauders, embark on a drama-filled adventure...otherwise known as their seventh year at Hogwarts! Love, lies, heartbreak, happiness, and one very interesting mystery about to unfold. J/L S/OC R/OC READ AND REVIEW!
1. Beginnings

A/N Read and Review! Hope you like it! Make sure you REVIEWWW!!!

Disclaimer: Duh, I do not own Harry Potter at all, except a lovely set of all seven books, which are well-read, but unfortunately I don't own the fabulous contents of the stories! That belongs to the infamous JK ROWLING!!! (:

_Stepping through the barrier to platform 9 ¾, oh-so-casually, so as not to attract too much attention from the muggles, who were already gawking at my jet-black owl, Nyx, came as a relief. I spotted my cluster of friends right away. Marlene, Carmela, and Caitlin were squealing and jumping up and down, the excitable bunch that they are. I rushed over to them, joining the screeching and bouncing, hugging them and instantly beginning to babble about my summer, as they did the same. _

"_Oh, Merlin! PETUNIA'S GETTING MARRIED! It's horrible, really-" _

"_We went to PARIS! PARIS! It was fabulous, the muggles there-" _

"_I'm never going snorkeling again! There was this shark-" _

" _I stayed home, and it was miserable! Kiernan wouldn't shut up-" _

_While we were busy rambling, Andromeda, the last of our posse, rushed up. _

"_GUYS! YOU GUYS! HEY!" _That shut us up quickly, and we all turned and piled on Andromeda in a group hug.

"WE MISSED YOU!"

"ME TOO!"

Yada yada yada. We're such girls. The whistle blew, signaling the leave of the train. Oh, man. This happened _every year! _Why were we always so late?! But we were pros at this by now. We glanced at each other, all wearing similar looks saying, _"here we go again"_ before we took off at a run. I gracefully jumped and grabbed onto the railing, swinging myself up and into the scarlet steam engine, followed by Andromeda and Carmela. We reached out to hoist Marlene up, who, at 16, was still too short. We were all up but Caitlin now, like usual. She was the klutz, who couldn't jump to save her life. We scooped her up skillfully, having done this six times before.

We were in a pile on the floor laughing hysterically, when we saw four people, of the male specimen, hovering over us. Joy. Right on time, just like every other year. Were we really that predictable? Apparently, yes, we were.

"Look who it is! Fancy meeting you here! I would've NEVER expected it of you!" Sirius Black exclaimed sarcastically, flanked by his best friends and fellow 'Marauders', James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew.

"Shut it, Black." Carmela glared, as we all instantly sobered up.

You see, the Marauders were the sworn enemies of us all. Well, of me and Carmela. Caitlin, Marlene, and Andy (who just so happens to be Sirius' cousin) all think they're quite hilarious. Those girls…I swear, they've been brainwashed!

"C'mon now, Ella! Not this again. Every year, we find you here, and every year YOU'RE mean to me!" Sirius pouted.

Carmela rolled her eyes. "Yes, and every year, you insist on a flashback…"

Sirius began in a serious voice, "It all began six years ago…"

"And here it is! Right on cue…" Carmela grumbled sarcastically.

"My soon-to-be best mate, James, and I were wandering the train, trying to find a compartment, when we ran into Peter and Remus here. We were walking to the back of the train, when we saw a patch of red and thought, MERLIN, THE TRAIN'S ON FIRE!-"

_Oh, Puh-lease!!! _I thought.

"-Buttttt, turns out it wasn't! Just our soon-to-be favorite red head here, who had jumped onto the train. We watched as four more girls scrambled on the train, all collapsing in a pile giggling like a bunch of girls! Hot girls, I might add-" Sirius paused to wink at us dramatically "-we rushed forward to help like the heroic gentlemen that we are, only to be snubbed by the brunette beauty, with those honey colored eyes and-"

Then, just like every other year Sirius narrated this stupid flashback, Ella slapped him as he went on and on about her beauty.

I rolled my eyes exasperatedly, tired of this game.

"C'mon guys, let's go."

We clambered to our feet, off to find a compartment. We opened the door to our usual compartment, and made ourselves comfortable.

The Marauders made to follow us in, but I shut the door on them, leaving it open a crack.

"And just what do you think you're doing?"

"You said 'C'mon _guys_, let's go.' We're guys!" James grinned cheekily.

"UGH!" I slammed the door in their face.

The stupidity of men. Honestly, it scares me sometimes.

I collapsed into the nearest seat…unfortunately squashing Andy in the process.

"Oof…gerrof!!!"

"Sorry!" I laughed, extricating my limbs from hers, and moving over a seat.

"So…how was everyone's summers?"

And with that question, they all launched into tales of whale-sized-fiancé's, croissant-stealing Frenchmen, underwater adventures, bothersome brothers and tattle-tailing sisters.

~*~*~*~

I sighed, looking at my watch. It was an hour before we arrived, meaning the prefects needed to gather to be assigned their duties and get their patrol schedules…a job that was given to me, the Head Girl, and the Head Boy…who he was, I didn't know yet…

"Alright, I gotta go…"

"Ooohhh! Little Miss Priss Head Girl off to…be…er, prissy and head-girl like?"

I rolled my eyes at Andy.

"You're really nothing like your cousin."

"Thank Merlin for THAT!" Chuckling along with the ridiculous girls I call friends, I left them, after making them promise to save me a seat on the carriages.

I walked down the deserted corridor of the train, everyone being tucked away happily in their compartments. All the way in the front of the train, was the Heads Compartment…this was it. I was finally going to find out who my partner would be…

Taking a deep breath and mentally begging to all that was good and right that whoever it was, it _wasn't _a Slytherin. Sure, Andy's a Slytherin, but she's not like them. I don't even know why she's in there. But if it's Sev or someone…I don't know what I'd do.

I pushed open the door and anxiously peered inside…but nobody was there yet! It said in the Prefect's letter's to meet here an hour before arrival!

_Sonorous, _I nonverbally did the spell that would magnify my voice.

"Prefects, please begin making your way to the Heads' Compartment for the meeting." My voice rang throughout the whole train.

Not two minutes later, everyone started flooding in. Two prefects from each house for years 5th-7th. Prefects filled the chairs, and I anxiously waited for the arrival of my partner…I saw Remus Lupin come in, and I was sure it was him…but he passed right by me with no more than a smile and sat down! Amos Diggory as well…I could've sworn it would've been one of them!!! All my fellow prefects from the year before were seated…whoever this was, he hadn't been a prefect. Was Dumbledore off his rocker?! I mean, when I think of the stupidity of men, I think of him as one of the few exceptions, wise as he is! But who could he have picked…???

Oh, Merlin.

No.

No, no, no, NO!!! No. Not him. Can I take that back, whoever's there?! I'd rather have a Slytherin. Please? PLEASE?! I'm begging!!!

This had to be some cruel joke.

James bloody Potter was _not _Head Boy!

No.

He must've…stole the badge or something! Yeah! The _real_ Head Boy is off tied up in a compartment!

"JAMES POTTER! THIS COMPARTMENT IS FOR HEADS AND PREFECTS ONLY!!!" I shrieked at him as he sauntered in. He couldn't be…He was the most arrogant and selfish person I knew! And he's always behind all those stupid Marauder pranks!!!

Yeah. That badge glinting on his robes was a fake. Total fake!

"Well, Lily, dearest, I _am_ a Head! See?" He pointed to the badge.

In a fit of rage and…I don't know what else. All I knew was he COULDN'T be Head Boy! I ripped the badge from his chest, crunching the delicate emblem under my boot.

He just gaped at me, along with all the prefects.

"Um. Lily? Are you ok? 'Cause you know, you just crushed that badge, and it's been passed from Hogwarts Head to Hogwarts Head for generations?"

I just gaped at him. Speak, Lily! SPEAK!

"What?" I managed to squeak.

He scraped up the crushed metal that had previously been a Hogwarts' crest with 'HB' inscribed on it.

"Reparo!"

And nothing happened.

Oh Merlin.

What have I DONE?! He really was Head Boy, wasn't he?!

"Reparo doesn't work on it?!" He mumbled to himself.

"Well then." He said, clapping his hands together after putting the remnants of his badge in his robe pocket.

"Let's start, shall we?"

And so we did…all the while, I was horrified at what I had done. What would Dumbledore say?! What if he took my badge away?! Oh no oh no oh no!

I felt like crying.

I don't deserve to be Head Girl!

~*~*~*~

The meeting was over. It was time to face Potter now.

"Look, Lily-"

"I'm sorry! I don't know why I did it-"

WAIT.

Did I just APOLOGIZE to Potter?

I suppose I did…

But it's necessary. I have to, I want to keep this job!

"Lily, it's ok!" he soothed, "Look, this badge's beyond repair, but I'm sure Dumbledore will understand-"

"NO! WE ARE NOT TELLING DUMBLEDORE!"

"Um. Ok…well…" He thought hard, running his hand through his hair in that annoying way that makes him look like he's just got off his latest bloody broomstick.

"I know!"

He pointed his wand at my chest, and I yelped and pulled my wand on him in one swift motion.

"Woah woah woah! Lily, I'm not going to hurt you! I'm just duplicating your badge."

I lowered my wand, still suspicious and wary.

He pointed his wand at my chest again, muttering a spell I couldn't hear.

In his hand appeared an exact replica of my glittering badge.

"There's only one problem…you're not Head _Girl." _

"Hmmm…I guess so. Well, I'm not top Transfiguration student for nothing!" He smiled cockily and waggled his eyebrows at me. I just rolled my eyes and stalked out as he turned the little _G_ to a _B_, resulting in a badge exactly like the one I destroyed.

I brushed past Sirius and heard him mumble, "How'd it go, mate?" and was just barely able to hear Potter's reply, "Not too good, Padfoot…"

Great. Just peachy! It was going to be one of _those _years again, huh? Potter chasing after me and embarrassing me endlessly…You know, the Marauders wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the constant asking-out from James stupid Potter!!! It's all his fault, really. I mean, Remus and I are friends just fine. HE'S not a bloody arrogant, vain, self-centered, pig-headed, selfish pretty boy!!! HE doesn't get everything handed to him on a silver platter. HE doesn't feel the need to primp his hair every two minutes. Merlin, that's so annoying!

Fuming, I realized I had past my compartment completely. I didn't recognize my surroundings. Merlin, I was an idiot. How do you get lost in a _train?! _It's just one long line of boxes! I was in a completely unused section, complete with creepy cobwebs and shadows playing tricks on me, piles of forgotten boxes lined the walls. I glanced at my watch. We should be arriving in mere minutes…

Just as I thought this, the train lurched to a stop, sending me tumbling to the floor, only to be rained upon by boxes. Gasping, I pushed boxes off my head and torso, but my legs were still trapped. I shoved hard at the boxes, but they contained something heavy…Merlin, what was in those boxes? _BRICKS? _It sure felt like it! I tried wiggling out from underneath the boxes, but stopped abruptly when pain went shooting up my leg from my ankle…the box would've had to have landed just right to have broken my ankle…or sprained it, or whatever it was! I don't know what was wrong, but it _hurt_, and I had never had a high pain tolerance. I groaned and panted, trying to stay conscious through the searing pain, when black dots swarmed my eyes and I saw no more.

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

My body felt weird, like it was floating…I tried to open my eyes, but they were heavy. I tried to remember where I was, the last thing I could recall was a groggy memory of being angry and lost…

"Do you reckon it was a Slytherin?" A voice said. I knew that voice, I know I did…but I couldn't place it in my current out-of-it state.

"_Better _not have been. I'll tear those bastards limb from limb." another voice whispered aggravatingly.

" I know you will, Prongs."

Something clicked in my head then. _Prongs. The Marauders. POTTER!_

I forced my eye lids to rise, and peered out of them, confused.

"Will you look at that! Sleeping Beauty awakes!"

Sirius' grinning face came into view.

"Whaddayudoin?" I said blearily.

"Well, m'dear, Prongs here, ever the infatuated bugger, noticed once we got off the train, that _you_ hadn't. So, like always, he overreacted and came searching for you, certain you were in some tragic situation. This time, he was actually right. We found you trapped under some boxes in the storage compartment. Soooo, we're levitating you to the front of the train to tell Joe that he needs to turn this train around and get back to Hogwarts."

I groaned, thinking of how we would be late for the Welcome Back Feast, and that I was in debt to the bloody _Marauders _for finding me. Bugger.

My ankle was still throbbing horribly, and focusing on the pain made me black out again.

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

"Miss Evans…Miss Evans! You have to wake up now."

I came to, taking in my surroundings…the Hospital Wing, with Madam Panaro hovering over me, her assistant Madam Pomfrey hovering behind. Through the windows, I could see it was pitch black outside. Lovely. I missed the Welcoming Feast, The Sorting, _everything! _

"I healed you ankle, you'll be perfectly fine. Mr. Potter is here to escort you to the Heads Dormitory. Congratulations, by the way."

I nodded grimly and clambered out of the bed. Potter held the door for me and we walked in silence.

"Feeling better?" He inquired.

_Silence._ Sometimes that's the best way to deal with him.

"I'm sorry you missed the feast. I brought a plate up to your room, I figured you'd be hungry."

_Silence. _What was up with him? This wasn't the Potter I knew! He would normally be gloating and teasing and being _mean. _Well, not mean mean, but annoying mean. But now, he was being _civil. _Like we were _mates _or something. We are NOT mates.

We arrived at a tapestry on the seventh floor, not too far away from the Gryffindor Dorms.

"This tapestry is normally sealed. But, if you know the password, you can enter into the passage behind it. Only Heads, Dumbledore, and people we give permission to, are allowed to enter, even if another has the password. The current password is 'purple puffskein', but we can change it whenever we want. Potter than looked at the tapestry of Phillius the Pumpkin-Hoarder, who was depicted surrounded by pumpkins, eating pumpkin pie. Phillius was famous for being unnaturally obsessed with pumpkins, until one day he was tragically mistaken for a pumpkin by his wife, as he was quite plump and an unpleasant orange color…needless to say she was quite distraught when she realized she had been eating Phillius Cream Pie.

Potter gave the password to the overweight man, and the tapestry un-sealed, so we were able to move it aside and climb into the tunnel. It curved abruptly to the side, and there was a golden door reading "Heads Quarters". I pushed the door open, and was overwhelmed by the amazing Common Room before me. There were loaded book shelves, a roaring fire, squashy armchairs and couches, along with two desks, a small kitchen, dining area, and two winding staircases. The room was done in rich purples and gold, and was absolutely beautiful. Potter started to climb one staircase, so I took it the other led to my room. He called "Goodnight" and I mumbled it back. When I came to my door, reading "Lily Evans, Head Girl" I pushed it open and saw…

My room. My room from my house at home! It was brilliant! There was my bookshelf with all my muggle favorites, my white lace curtains and lavender bead spread, my cherry wood furniture standing exactly how I had it at home, covered in pictures of my friends and family! There was another door, though, one I didn't have at home. I found it led to a bathroom, lacey and lavender, just like my room. This was _brilliant. _I went to my dresser, and grabbed an over-sized t-shirt for pajamas, and climbed right into my bed, falling asleep seemingly as my head hit the pillow.

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

I woke sleepily to a faint buzzing sound in my ears…my charm alarm. Bugger. I waved my wand, dispersing the spell, and forced myself out of bed. The Head Girl might've missed the Welcome Back Feast and Sorting, but she was _not _going to sleep through classes! So I dressed in my neatly pressed uniform and robes, sweeping my hair up into a curly red ponytail, straight side-bangs swept to the right. Adding a touch of makeup and sliding into my black ballet flats, (honestly, _nobody _wore those hideous dress shoes, and your feet were hidden by your robes anyways) I headed down the spiral stairs to go to breakfast.

I was halfway across the Common Room when-

_*CRACK* _

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!" I shrieked louder than a banshee. Looking around with my wand at the ready, I saw…a creature. It took a moment, but I recognized it as a House Elf. The Heads got their own house Elf?!

"Whashappinin?" Potter said blearily, glasses held to his face with one hand, and wand out with the other, rushing down the stairs in nothing but…his boxers.

"Erm…nothing Potter. Elf scared me, that's all." My traitorous body blushed scarlet from my roots to my toes. Potter, realizing my discomfort, turned around quickly, mumbling "Right. Sorry," his ears turning pink as he shuffled back upstairs.

I whipped back around where a little Elf was wringing his (her?) hands and apologizing profusely.

"I is sorry miss!? I is Mitzi!? I is to be your house elf!?" The poor creature was a wreck.

"Oh, it's okay Mitzi."

"I is to be telling you that the miss and mister don't have to be eating in the hall? I is to be telling you that I can cook the miss and mister something here?"

"Oh, thank you, but I'm going to go eat with my friends. Thank you, Mitzi."

She bowed me out, holding open the door and then the tapestry.

Walking out of Gryffindor Tower at the same time was Winter. Winter Lestrange used to be part of my little circle of friends, up until third year. We don't know what happened. She was this awesome, down-to-earth regular Gryffindor Girl. But when third year rolled around, she gained a passive face, wouldn't even _look _at any of us, and started hanging out with Slytherins (the bad ones, not Andy) and she just turned into one of them! But whatever.

Her eyes flicked to me and we made eye contact for a millisecond. The look that crossed her face was remorseful, pleading. But I shoved the thought away, thinking it must be a trick of the light, because the next second she was sneering at me, her ice blue eyes glinting.

I shook off the eerie feeling that ran down my spine, waited for her to disappear down the stairs before I started down them as well. Ahead of me, I saw her meet up with her brothers, Rabastan and Rodolphus, as well as Bellatrix Black, Sirius' lovely cousin, her sister Narcissa, and two other Slytherins, Scarlett and Vivien. These were the worst of the worst, the ones you just knew would end up as Death Eaters. Narcissa was a slut, only in sixth year and already engaged. Her older sister Bellatrix, seventh year, was dating Rodolphus, and his little brother, fifth year, Rabastan, was best friends with Sirius' fifth year brother, Regulus. Sometimes I'm glad I'm muggle-born. Seems all the pure bloods are related, and hello! Ew! For all Narcissa knows, that Malfoy bloke she's marrying is her second cousin or something!

Once the Slytherins took off, I could make my way safely to breakfast. Ella and Andy were already there, Marley and Cait were the one's who needed their 'beauty sleep'. I plopped down next across from them and piled some chocolate chip pancakes on my plate, drowning them in syrup.

"What's up?" Ella asked while sipping her pumpkin juice.

"Nothing much. Saw Winter this morning. She looked at me weird."

Winter's name was like a taboo among our group. Ella's and Andy's faces instantly hardened.

"So what? When are those Slytherins _not _looking at us weird? They've been bothering me all morning." Andy said. She considered herself a Gryffindor, even though she was in Slytherin. She ate with us, cheered with us at Quidditch matches, stood up for us against the Slytherins (who were always trashing her for being friends with us) and spent the night in Gryffindor Tower frequently (not that she was _supposed _to). Winter was more of a Slytherin than her, and I think that the Sorting Hat must've mixed them up somehow…if that's possible. Probably not, but it's the only thing that makes sense to us.

"Yeah I guess so." I had been closest to Winter, and it had hurt more than anything when she started snuffing us. I mean, we all are friends, but it had always been me and Winter, Andy and Ella, and Marley and Cait. I was the loner of the group, so to speak.

We ate in silence then, McGonagall came around with our schedules, and Cait and Marley joined us, but the happy mood had been spoiled with talk of Winter…

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

_A/N Hey guys. This is a sort of re-do of my previous fan fiction, Black and White Wishes. This story is more organized and has some different characters, but some of my main ideas are going to be the same, as previous readers will notice. Pay careful attention to Winter, she's a big part of the story! I'm not going to post again without at least 5 reviews, so review please, I don't care how short it is! (: And instead of doing the ever-so-annoying describing of the characters looks in the actual story, I'm just going to do it here so you have a mental image of what the characters look like! (:_

_Lily: Red curly long hair, green eyes, medium-height, slender, pale, freckly_

_Carmela (Ella): long light brown hair, caramel brown eyes, medium height, medium weight, naturally tan_

_Marlene (Marley): straight dirty blonde shoulder length hair, green-blue eyes, tall, skinny, light skin color_

_Caitlin(Cait): Straight Bleach-blonde medium length hair, hazel eyes with gold flecks, short, not fat, but not skinny, sometimes tan_

_Andromeda (Andy): Long, straight black hair, chocolate brown eyes, average height, average weight, light skin color _

_Winter: Short spiky white-blonde hair (think Alice from Twilight for the cut), ice blue eyes, tall, scary-skinny, pale _

_And you should know what the Marauders look like ;) So yeah, that's all for this chapter! More reviews=happier Brittany=quicker updates!!! (: _

_Thanks for reading! PLEASEEE REVIEW?! I'll love you forever and you'll get virtual cookies and virtual hugs! And maybeee a dedication, if your review is really good ;) Remember, 5 reviews to update!!! _

_xoxo _

_B_


	2. A Life Destroyed

A/N Thanks to my fabulous reviewers, Sirius'Sweetheart, weaselygurl, and EOshipper2010! (:

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

"This can't be happening! It's only the second day!"

"Death Eaters don't care about Hogwarts. Except recruiting naïve students. We may be safe here, under Dumbledore, but there's still a war going on out there, and it's not going to stop just because we're at school."

"She's right. We may be safe, but the rest of the world isn't."

I flopped back onto Ella's bed, the tears just now drying in salty tracks down my face. We were all in the seventh year Gryffindor girls' dorm. There had been a Death Eater attack late last night, killing Marley's parents. The McKinnon's were like second parents to us all, always inviting us for a week or two over breaks. They were the sweetest people ever, so kind and innocent. They were both involved in Law at the Ministry. The Daily Prophet predicted that was the reason for their murder, they had convicted a known Death Eater a couple days ago…

Marley was whisked away by McGonagall at breakfast, and we hadn't seen her since…it was past curfew now. McGonagall told us she was staying with her aunt for awhile.

"Poor Marley! Both her parents…"

"I know…"

"I wish we could _see _her! I feel so helpless. She needs us at a time like this, but _nooo! _Relatives only are excused from school!"

Andy sat up with a jolt. "Guys. We really do need to see her. She needs us. This is more important than _school. _This is our best mate we're talking about!"

"We _know_ but it's not like we can sneak out-" I was stopped mid-sentence by the look in Andy's eyes. It was one I had seen many times, on the very similar face of her cousin, Sirius…a look completely Marauder-worthy.

"Oh no! I'm Head Girl! We are _not _sneaking out! We'll get caught! We'll get expelled!"

"Lily, _listen _to yourself! You're being selfish. Marley needs us. And I'm going, whether any of you come or not."

"I'm in." Cait chimed.

"Me too." Ella said, hopping up.

"Ugh, if you lot are going, then so am I. But one problem…how do we get out of the castle? And we don't even know where her aunt lives!"

"I do! I went on holiday with her and Marley summer before last. Plus I can apparate, I turned 17 at the end of last year, remember?" Cait said quickly.

"Okay…but how do we get out of the Hogwarts gates?"

"Easy. I'm not the cousin of a Marauder for nothing." Andy said with a sneaky grin. "We'll sneak into the boys dorm, they might as well be rocks when they're asleep. They just so happen to have an invisibility cloak. I think it's James', but Sirius had it one summer at one of those parties our parents are always dragging us to."

"A _real invisibility cloak?!" _I gasped.

"Yeah, so we'll just nick that and it'll be a cinch!"

"Okay…"

This could not end well.

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

Still in our pajamas and slippers, now with backpacks slung on our shoulders, we creeped into the common room, the fire nothing but ashes and glowing embers now. We tip-toed across the room to the boys' staircase.

"Okay. Not all four of us need to go in. Me and Lily will go…we're the least…klutzy." Andy announced with a sly glance towards Caitlin.

"HEY!" Cait shot back indignantly, _loudly._

"SHHHHH!" We waited a second, but we heard nothing. Andy and I sneaked up the stairs, pausing and looking around in fright at every squeak. We finally made it to the door, which had been left open a crack. Andromeda tried to ease the door open, but it squeaked loud and long, a nails-on-the-chalkboard type sound. We froze, but heard the steady breathing and snores of four guys erupt again, and crept forward. Andy motioned to search through James' and Remus' trunks, while she did Sirius' and Peter's. I searched through Remus', finding nothing. I opened James' and started rummaging.

_Quill…shirt…parchment…chocolate frog…snitch…_

Oh my Merlin. The snitch whizzed out of the trunk at my gentle prodding, whirring it's wings and buzzing around my head.

"SHH! Stop it! Go back in the trunk!" I whispered at it, lunging for it. Andy, noticing my predicament with widened eyes, joined in trying to snatch the stupid little gold Quidditch ball. Why do those things have to be so darn FAST?!

We were hopping around like lunatics, reaching our hands towards the ceiling in hopes to grab the snitch. It flew and hovered near the floor by one of the dressers. I moved to catch it, but my slipper clad foot caught on something and I tripped, landing flat on my face, spread-eagle, with a loud _thump. _Andy and I froze in fear, holding our breaths. The snitch was right in front of my face so I snatched it up when I had the chance. I held it tight, listening for any clues that they were awake. I heard a snuffle, a groan, and the creaking of bed springs. My heart was pounding out of my chest, but after a few painful minutes passed, the snores erupted again. Andy and I breathed a sigh of relief and shoved the snitch back in the trunk.

I bent down to see what I had tripped on, and my hands met the most interesting feeling in the world. A solid something, that felt like water, flowing, cool, water…this had to be it. The invisibility cloak. I snatched it up and it shimmered silver in the light from the sliver of the moon peeking in the curtains. I ran it over my hands, and they disappeared completely! _Magnificent. _I held it up to show Andy and she motioned for us to leave.

We rushed down the stairs and heaved a huge sigh of relief that we managed to make it.

"That was intense." I whispered.

"You _think?! _I thought that snitch was going to give us away! Let's just go already."

We pushed open the portrait hole and the Fat Lady, so deeply asleep, didn't even notice we had exited. We all huddled together under the cloak. It was a tight squeeze and it was slow going, but we were determined. We made it down to the first floor, with just one staircase and the doors, the grounds, and the gates between us and freedom, when the sound of heels clacking came up behind us. We jumped in unison, scared out of our wits.

"Well well well! What do we have here, ladies? Sneaking out? I must say, I'm quite disappointed." Professor McGonagall _tsk tsk'_ed.

_How can she see us?! We're INVISIBLE!_

Ella tapped my shoulder. "Our feet" she mouthed, pointing down. Indeed, the cloak was about six inches too short for us, and our feet had been peeking out this whole time without us realizing it. I pulled the cloak off of us in defeat.

"Sorry Professor. We just have to see Marlene! She needs us."

Unless it was a trick of the light, McGonagall actually had a bit of a smile on her face! "It's very admirable of you girls to go to such lengths for your friend. Follow me."

_Oh no. Here comes the expelling. _

She led us to her office. "Sit, sit. Biscuit?" We all declined politely, sitting on the edge of our seats anxiously.

"It just so happens the Headmaster thought the same thing as you girls. That Miss McKinnon needs you. I was going to send you off at breakfast, but there's no reason to wait, I suppose. My fireplace has temporarily been connected to the Floo Network, so you girls may go to Miss McKinnon's aunts house. Her aunt has agreed to it, Marlene is quite distraught, the poor dear."

_Wait wait wait! _I glanced around at the others, and their faces were just as shocked as mine. _She's LETTING us go?! We're not expelled?! _

McGonagall gestured to the fireplace, where a fire was crackling dimly. She held out a tin of sparkly green powder, encouraging us to go.

"Give my regards to Miss McKinnon. You must return in two days time. No exceptions. You're still students."

Beaming, thrilled at this turn of events, we all grabbed a pinch and one by one stepped into the fire.

When I spun out of the fire and onto a plush rug, the first thing I noticed was Marley, sleeping on a chair nearby. She looked awful…not that anybody expected her to look like a super model at a time like this. Her face was tear-stained, her hair lank, her nose red. She was pale with none of the usual color in her friendly face. It was heart-breaking to see our dear friend in so much evident pain, even while she dreamed. She was definitely not okay, and most likely wouldn't be for a long time.

We stood awkwardly for a moment. We didn't know what to with ourselves. Deciding not to wake Marley, we just plopped down and settled in on that lovely rug we landed on. It really was quite comfortable…very soft and full and silky….a pretty cream color, that your feet just sank in to. We used each others laps as pillows, so we were arranged in an lopsided square-ish shape. We drifted off, not believing our incredible luck getting here.

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

I woke first, taking a minute to remember where I was. I shot up, remembering all the horrible events of the previous day. My eyes darted to Marley, who was still asleep, but with a pained expression on her pretty little face. Marley's aunt, her only last living relative, trudged in, looking worn and tired. She jumped when she saw us, immediately drawing her wand.

"It's okay." I whispered. "It's just us."

Her face melted into recognition as she saw Cait sprawled on the floor.

"Hi. Thanks for coming."

I just nodded, at a loss for words. What do you say to a woman that just lost her sister and brother-in-law?

Marley stirred, and opened her eyes slowly. I smiled at her, or tried to anyways. I probably looked more constipated then friendly, but whatever. Marley just stared at me, at the others on the floor, looking lost and helpless. I didn't know what to say, what to do. But Cait woke just then, Marley's best friend, and rushed to her, flinging her arms around her neck while Marley burst into tears. This woke Ella and Andy, who got up and held Marley fiercely, so I got up and joined in the group hug. I didn't know what else we could possibly do, but let her cry it out…

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

Marley's aunt, Aunt Maggie, ushered us all into a cavernous dining room, where breakfast was laid out on silver dishes. We picked at our food, constantly looking to Marley. She wasn't even pretending to eat, she was staring into her pumpkin juice, as if it held the answers to the world. Aunt Maggie had told us to give her time, that she would talk when she wanted to, that us just being here was all she needed right now.

We were back in the room we had slept in, with the cushy carpet and pale décor. The fire was crackling merrily, but it was the only happy thing in the whole mansion. We sat in eerie silence, nothing but the fire and wind to hear.

_**BOOM.**_

We all crashed to our feet, terror-filled eyes wide open.

"What was that?" Ella whispered in a horrified voice.

"I dunno." Cait whispered back. Andy crept towards the window that looked out over the front yard. Her body went stiff and she turned around slowly.

"We've gotta get out of here."

"What is it?!"

"We have to go! NOW!"

"Andy. What. Is. It." I demanded.

"Death Eaters."

Marley fainted right then and there.

"Bloody hell. What're we going to do?" Cait cursed.

My mind was in overdrive. Death Eaters. Here. At Marley's aunts' house.

"Oh my God. Aunt Maggie!" Just as these words escaped my mouth, we heard a shriek followed by a cruel, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Cait bolted to the door, ready to go save Aunt Maggie, who she had known as long as she knew Marley-since birth.

"It's too late! She's gone." Ella cried, latching on to Caitlin to keep her from meeting her death head on.

Which was what we realized we were in for standing here, shell-shocked, while we listened to at least four Death Eaters thunder up the stairs.

"What are we going to do?" I whispered, tears stinging my eyes while fear and adrenaline coursed through my veins red-hot.

Andy took charge, as usual, and locked the door. Not that that would deter them for long at all. We heard them, now on our floor, searching through rooms. Banging doors open. They got closer and closer to us, and here we still stood, motionless.

"We're going to die! We're going to die! This is the end!!! OhmyMerilinOhmyMerlinOhmyMerlin!" Ella paced back and forth, wringing her hands, voice raising.

I strode over to her, looked her in the eye, and slapped her right across the face. "We are _not _going to die. Snap out of it!"

Ella nodded, hands still wringing but she shut up and stood stock-still. "Right. Thanks. I needed that..."

"So what's the plan?"

I thought fast. "We'll…go through the fireplace! We'll Floo to Hogwarts!"

"The Floo Network was only set up here and at Hogwarts for our arrival! It's sealed up again!" Cait said frantically.

"Okay okay. Out the window?"

Andy flew over, looking down once again.

"There are Death Eaters swarming in the yard!"

"OhmyMerlin." I paced and paced, thinking hard. I started to cry hysterically, it was just too much.

Ella took the chance to return the favor, slapping me across my face. It stung, but it was enough to clear my head.

"Right. Calm is key. Calm calm calm."

The Death Eaters' search was bringing them closer and closer.

"CAIT! You can APPARATE." I exclaimed. Why the bloody hell hadn't we remembered that sooner?!

"Apparate somewhere, anywhere. Take Marley and come back for us. _Hurry_!"

Cait grabbed a hold of Marley's limp arm. I choose her to go first, as she was the most vulnerable, being out cold. She would be nothing but a sitting duck if it came to a fight.

They turned on the spot, a loud _**crack**_ filling the air. The whole house went silent for a moment, then three Death Eaters blew the door off the hinges, wands out, pointing straight at us.

Thinking quickly, I stunned one, surprised it actually worked. These guys weren't the brightest in the world.

As soon as the first one was down, the second was in front of me.

I was too slow for him/her, and they cast a gashing hex at me, and I felt my forehead split open, blood matting in my bangs.

"Confringo!" He/She snarled.

"Protego!" I quickly blocked it, and the spell bounced back onto him/her, and they burst into flames.

Oh my God! I rushed forward, casting _aguamenti_ on my way. The fire was put out, but the Death Eater was knocked out, welts and blisters covering his/her skin.

Wait a minute. What did I do that for? Cursing my impulsive actions, I turned to where Andy was dueling with the third Death Eater, casting a Full Body Bind hex he/she couldn't deflect.

All three down, I rushed to her, pulling her in a tight hug. "Did we really just do that?" I muttered. She nodded in a shocked sort of way.

I glanced around the room, wondering what was taking Cait so long to get back for us. I glanced to where Ella lay slumped against the wall. I hadn't realized it when she got stupefied. I enervated her, and led her to a chair, healed a long, but shallow cut on her face. I was about to start on one on her wrist, a nasty one filled with glass shards. I hadn't realized anything had broken, then saw the shattered vase on the floor. Some curse must've hit it at one point or another.

I was extracting the glass, when I heard a mumbled _"Enervate". _I whipped around, as did Andy who was standing at the window.

Another Death Eater stood there, helping up his previously stupefied and body-bound fellows.

"Where's the blood traitors' brat?" One cackled.

What were they talking about?

Andy and I didn't respond, we just threw whatever curse we could think of at the three cloaked and masked men, while Ella sat in the chair where I'd left her, in shock.

One Death Eater started dancing uncontrollably, the other was tied in magical ropes. The third cast a hex at Andy, and I watched as if in slow motion while she fell to the ground, twitching and bleeding from gashes across her whole body.

I knew that curse.

I knew that voice.

I knew that Death Eater.

"_Severus?" _

"I don't want to hurt you, Lily. But we don't always get what we want. SECTUMSEMPRA!"

"PROTEGO!" I cried, and then quickly cast a body bind hex.

The Death Eaters currently not a threat, I rushed to Andy. She was gasping horribly, blood gushing from every which way.

I started healing them left and right, but nothing was working. Desperate, I grabbed hold of the shocked Ella in one arm, and the bleeding Andy in the other. Though I never Apparated before, I had read about it and attempted it, frantic to get to Madam Panaro.

I felt a weird sensation of being sucked into a tight rubber tube, and then I emerged outside Hogwarts gates. Amazing. It actually _worked._

"HAGRID!" I called, to the half-giant, Keeper of Keys and Grounds. He was striding out of the forest with a sack of odd plants on his back.

"Lily! Good ter see ya!" He started, after realizing I held a bleeding girl in my arms, and one who was close to fainting in the other, and was standing outside the gates. "Merlin's beard Lily! What happened?!"

"Death Eaters. At Marley's aunts'. Help!"

He wrenched the gates open, snagged Andy from my arms, and ran full speed towards the castle. I stumbled behind, trying to get Ella to walk. She just stopped dead, staring at me. Her eyes were lifeless, and then she passed out. I made it half way carrying her before I realized I was a witch and could _levitate _her. With her floating behind I sprinted towards Hogwarts, which was excruciatingly far away, still. Everyone was in class, so nobody was around to help. Running through my tears and the stitch in my side, I finally made it to the castle doors.

Just our luck, a class had just let out and people filled the halls.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" I screeched, hearing people buzzing with news about Hagrid and the bleeding girl, only to fall silent and start up again after seeing me and Ella.

I was still far from the Hospital Wing, and who should come up behind me? The Marauders, of course! They just have to get in the way of everything!

"What happened?" Sirius demanded.

"We saw Hagrid with Andy-"

I was too out of breath to respond. I just kept sprinting. And they bloody followed, of course.

The grand doors to the Hospital Wing loomed in front of us. I gestured frantically for them to open them, and they listened for once.

I darted in with Ella. Madam Pomfrey, the assistant, laid her on a bed. I rushed towards Hagrid, who was standing outside a drawn curtain. But Madam Pomfrey held me back.

"Sit down." She said, and her eyes told me it was no use to try resisting.

I obliged, and The Marauders gathered around me.

"What happened, Evans?"

"What's wrong with my cousin!?"

But I ignored them. "Is. Andy. Okay?" I panted.

"I don't know." Pomfrey replied crisply. "But we need to clean up this gash before it gets infected."

Oh yeah. I had almost forgotten about the long, deep cut on my head. That would explain the dried blood on my face. And now that I thought about it, it was burning, hot as hades. It _hurt!_

"And you four! Get _out!" _Pomfrey shooed away the Marauders, thank Merlin.

She started cleaning my wound, applying thick salves before tugging a nauseatingly long needle through my head, stitching it up. Normally, I would've fainted on the spot, at the sight of that needle and feeling the tugging on my numb head. But I didn't care. What I _did _care about was Andy. She had lost so much blood…

Pomfrey was just finishing me up when Panaro called for her. "POPPY! GET DUMBLEDORE!"

She was about to rush out the door, when the Headmaster himself strode right in! He must've heard the gossip, I decided.

"Miss Evans. What happened?" Dumbledore said in a demanding, but at the same time, gentle, voice.

"Professor! We were at Marley's aunts', and Death Eaters attacked." I whispered, it sinking in for the first time. "Marley's aunt…she's d-dead." I continued, before bursting into tears. It seemed I was crying a lot today. And I NEVER cried.

Dumbledore patted my shoulder before being called frantically by Madam Panaro, from behind that curtain…

He rushed over to her, and I wondered what was wrong. Andy should be fine by now. There wasn't a thing Panaro couldn't fix! I creeped over to listen in while Pomfrey checked on Ella.

"Never seen this before…"

"Nothing will heal them…"

"I suppose the only thing we can do then is keep her on blood replenishing potions until we can find an antidote, and bandage her up tight."

Oh my Merlin. Why did everything have to go so wrong? And so early on in the year, too!

I was walking back to my cot when a realization struck me like lightening.

_Where were Cait and Marley?!_

Oh my Merlin! What if they didn't make it?! What if Death Eaters got them?! Oh no oh no oh no oh no!

Professor McGonagall came in just then with a grief-stricken face.

"Professor! Caitlin and Marlene are missing!"

"They didn't return to the castle with you?!"

"No, they went ahead of us!"

"Oh dear. Dumbledore!"

He emerged from behind the curtain, seeming to glide toward us.

"Yes, Minerva?"

"The other two didn't make it back. Caitlin and Marlene."

He nodded briskly and practically flew out of the Hospital Wing.

When had everything turned so bad? I mean, I read the Prophet, and I knew how horrible Voldemort was and all…but my own friends?

I lay on my bed, praying to anyone who would listen.

_Please. Let them be okay._

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

A/N Well, I must say, I'm very disappointed in you lot! Psh. All those hits/visitors, and only THREE reviews!? Grrr. Can I have FIVE this time? Pleaseeee? Even if they're super short! I'm not picky! Lol. (: I like to know how I'm doing. So I hope you enjoyed this drama filled chapter! I'll start working on the next one right away! (:

(weaselygurl-thanks for the suggestion, I'll be sure to look out for those little pests when writing the next chapter! This one was already written, so sorry lol)

xoxo

B


	3. Going Insane

A/N: Thanks to my fabulous reviewers, Sirius'Sweetheart and EOshipper2010!!! (: You guys are the BESTEST, and this chapter is dedicated to you! (:

I don't think I said this before, so:

Lily Marie Evans-Muggle-born

Caitlin Rose Campbell-Muggle-born

Andromeda Isla Black-Pure-blood

Carmela Shea Reed-Half-blood

Marlene Mae McKinnon-Pure-blood

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

I woke groggily, with sunlight stinging my eyes. I stretched leisurely, smiling to myself.

A smile that was quickly wiped off my face at memories from yesterday.

I sprung out of my hospital bed, looking around frantically, I don't know what for, exactly.

I saw Ella in the bed next to me. "Ella! Ella!" I shook her, but she was fast asleep. I huffed, poking her insistently. "CARMELA SHEA! WAKE _UP!" _

She jolted out of bed, looking at me with hilarious bleary-eyed look.

"What?" She complained. "I was sleeping!"

"Obviously." I rolled my eyes.

Worry kicked in, I could see it in her eyes and etched all over her face. She had remembered the events of the day before.

"How are the others?!"

"Um…well, Andy…she's here…she's, well, alive…but not, er, well." I grimaced.

The color drained from Ella's face completely.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She's been cursed, they can't cure her, but they won't let me see her."

"What about Marley and Cait?" She looked around, but no other beds were taken but Andy's, which curtains were drawn around.

"Well, we don't really know where they are, exactly…"

She looked at me with heart-breaking watery eyes. Ella was just the sweetest thing, so delicate. I hated to have to be the one to tell her. She burst into contagious tears, and we just sat on my bed, hugging and fearing for our friends' lives.

"What if they're d-"

"They're _not _dead." I said fiercely. "Dumbledore knows, he'll find them." I said with more certainty than I felt.

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

***THIRD PERSON***

Marley and Caitlin woke up in a dark, dank cell of some sort.

"Marley? Where are we? The last thing I remember we apparated-"

"Well well well! The mudblood and blood-traitor awake!"

Marley and Cait jumped up, searching for the source of the voice.

What they saw sent shivers down their spine.

They were prisoners.

Of Death Eaters.

"What do you want from us?!" Marley demanded bravely.

"Well you don't think we would let a McKinnon live? Not after your blood-traitor muggle-loving parents put Travers in Azkaban. And the mudblood? She's just a bonus, for a little bit of fun." He said with a sinister sneer.

The color that hadn't been taken by the cold drained from the two girls faces.

"Hmmm where to begin?" He paced in front of their cell with a mock thinking face on. "Ah! I know." He smirked at them, then excruciatingly slowly, he raised his wand at Cait. "_Crucio!" _

Marley watched her best friend writhe in pain on the grimy floor, twitching and screaming uncontrollably, her eyes shut tight.

"Cait!" Marley fell to her knees next to her mate, trying to soothe her, but it was useless.

"Oh, you want a turn, do you? Fine by me. _Crucio!" _It was Marley's turn to scream and thrash about, but somewhere in the recesses of her mind, she could concentrate on the fact that with the Death Eater's attention on her, Caitlin wasn't being harmed. She held to this scrap of information, and it dulled the pain, but only just.

When the Death Eater finally lowered his wand, grinning a smile that reached his cruel, cold eyes, he said with glee, "That will have to do for now. The Dark Lord beckons. And with that he swept out of the room, black robes whispering behind him as he donned his mask.

Marley and Cait pressed together, preserving their body heat and shivering in fear, thoughts of their deaths plaguing their thoughts.

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

Ella and I sat huddled together in the Hospital Wing, Dumbledore had excused us from classes. He came in earlier, with the news that there were search parties out for our friends.

So we clung to this hope, trying to distract ourselves from the worry. Not that that was easy when we could hear the strained whispers from behind Andy's curtain. They still couldn't find a cure…

It was mid afternoon, and Ella and I were still just sulking. Dumbledore came in again, and we turned to him with hopeful eyes.

"Well, ladies, it seems that there was a charm cast by the Death Eaters on Margaret McKinnon's house. One that was activated by Apparation. Any persons who tried to Apparate from there, would end up in a designated place. We'll be able to track it, it's just going to take a little more time. That is where we believe your friends are. And as for the matter of Miss Black, she is going to be transferred to St. Mungo's. There's nothing to be done for her. The dark curse that was cast on her was unique, one without a known counter curse. I'm sorry to inform you that she is bleeding to death. We're keeping her on blood replenishers, but it won't work forever. Her parents will make the decision whether to let her go or not."

We took this all in with sinking hearts. My eyes filled with tears, something I was becoming far too familiar with these past couple days. But what's a girl to do? Two of my mates are MISSING, could be DEAD and one of them is on her way there! I can't lost _three _of my best mates in one day. I can't. They're not going to die. They won't. They're fine. They have to be.

…Right?

"I think it would be best if you er-" Dumbledore cleared his throat, his voice was thick. Something I would never expect from him. "Said your goodbyes now.."

We nodded gravely, tears streaming down our face with no attempt at stopping them. Ella and I held hands, and for a second I was reminded of two little girls skipping in a park, hand in hand. My sister Tuney and me.

Ella and I walked gravely to those mysterious curtains, feeling like it was taking a hundred years to get there, our hands still clasped and our tears still flowing.

I took a deep, shaky breath before pulling the curtain aside.

The tears increased a hundredfold when I saw her lying there. My once vivacious, spunky, cheeky, care-free friend was lying there, hair dull and skin pale. She was breathing, but only barely. She lie in nothing but short shorts and a bandage covering from her abdomen up to her neck. The bandage was a sickening brown color, stained with her blood. I could smell it too, a metallic and salty type smell…

Ella rushed to her side, holding her hand and stoking her hair, whispering to her fiercely.

I went to her other side, reaching for her hand but pausing inches away. It seemed…wrong to touch her. She was so lifeless, she could be dead if you only glanced at her. I didn't want to be here anymore, this girl…she wasn't the Andy I knew. I drew my hand away, my eyes darting around, looking for an escape. I couldn't stay here anymore. I had to do _something, _and I couldn't stay in this room that reeked of death. A million thoughts tripped over in my mind, a million images, I couldn't take it. I was going insane. I ripped at my hair, I shook my head, stomped my feet. I tried to scream, but nothing escaped my lips, not a whisper. I reeled around, my eyes flitting left and right. This wasn't happening. It really wasn't. I took off at a run, not knowing where I was going, just knowing I had to get away. Ella called after me, but let me go. I didn't care that I was still in my pajamas from the night we left. How long ago had that been? Seemed like ages. I just ran, running out all my fears and frustrations, running away.

I had to be the most unlucky girl in the world, for class let out just then. I ignored them though, the stares, the calls, the whispers. I ran and ran, never running out of cement, just going and going down all the hallways and corridors, pushing my way past anyone who stood in my way. I went up stairs, through tapestries, around corners, my footsteps echoing in my ears, everything else was muffled. When I finally collapsed of exhaustion in a heap of tears, I didn't realize where I was. I didn't care. I just let it all out, screaming and wailing my grief to anyone that could hear. So probably the whole castle. I felt arms snake around my waist, shushing me and rocking me, but I paid the new arrival no attention. I just continued on, drowning in my misery.

I wrestled away from whoever held me, after what seemed like an eternity of sobs.

It registered in the back of my brain that it had been Potter comforting me. But that didn't matter. What mattered is that I thought of something…the only thing that could possibly save Andy. I knew it was a long shot, but it was the only shred of hope I had for her surviving.

When I ran this time, I ran with a newly-found purpose. I thundered up the stairs to the Owlery, finding a ruffled quill and a crumpled bit of parchment on the floor, scrawling a message hastily before sending it off in a flurry of black wings. It was the only thing I could think of, and I prayed that my old friend that I knew was buried deep inside of him would come out, to help.

_Severus, _

_My friend is in trouble. She needs the counter curse, or she'll die. I know you know it. Please, I'll do anything. Please. I know we've fought, but didn't our friendship mean anything to you? _

_-Lily _

I watched Nyx soar away, watching until she was nothing but a speck. All my hope rested on the fact that she would get there on time, and that he would show a little compassion.

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

I waited in the Owlery, staring out the window, waiting. My heart would leap into my throat when I would see an incoming owl, but I was always disappointed. None of them were Nyx. I was losing hope when I saw her, beating her wings furiously to get back. She soared in the window, and I held my breath as I unfurled a scroll of parchment. On it, was written one, simple word. A spell.

_Ementiopriste _

This was it. I ran again, my legs burning from all the exertion today. I made it to the Hospital Wing, finding it deserted except for Ella and Andy.

"Ella! Ella, it's okay! I've found it! I've found the counter curse!"

"How?!" She asked, jumping up with hope shining through her watery eyes.

"Does it matter? Watch out!"

I pulled my wand from the bedside table of my cot, concentrating on the spell. Our only chance.

"Take the bandages off." I told Ella, and she hurried to unwind them.

Her wounds were gruesome, flowing freely.

I pointed my wand at the slashes, taking a deep breath and saying with all the power I could muster, "_Ementiopriste!"_

Like magic, (because is was) Andy's maimed body mended in the blink of an eye, leaving nothing but dried blood. I cleaned that off, and Andy groggily woke up.

"Andy! Andy, you're okay! You're fine!" I hugged her fiercely, while she just looked at me in a bewildered sort of way.

"Well, of course I am! Did you forget who I was again?" Andy said matter-of-factly.

"No, Andy." I said, rolling my eyes playfully.

"I think you have!" she sing-songed. "What's my name?"

"Andromeda Black."

"Sorry, didn't hear you! What's my name?"

"Andromeda Black!"

"What did you say?"

"ANDROMEDA BLACK!"

"Ahh, Andromeda Black, huh? And what can Andromeda Black _do?_"

"ANYTHING!" Ella and I yelled cheerfully, laughing at Andy's ridiculousness. She did this a lot, a little something she picked up from that pest of a cousin.

We were all positively _ecstatic _for about 15 minutes, laughing and joking and just being happy and thankful for Andy's recovery…but then she had to go and start _questioning. _

"How did you heal me? I heard Panaro say I was incurable!"

"Um. I can't tell you that, exactly…"

"What do you mean?" Ella asked with narrowed eyes.

"I mean…that nobody can know. Isn't it enough that she's alive? Why does it matter _how?"_

"Fine. But you will tell us one day."

That was when Andy glanced around, finally realizing that our little party wasn't complete.

"Where's Marley and Cait? In the Great Hall, I expect, those two-"

"Um no, actually…"

Andy picked up on Ella's grave tone and immediately looked suspicious.

"What do you mean? Where are they?"

"Well, that's the thing…we don't know exactly."

"How can you not know? Just go up to the dorm, I'm sure they're around somewhere. It's not like they can just disappear into thin air-"

"But that's exactly what they did." I whispered.

"Huh?"

"When they apparated…they didn't come here. Dumbledore said there was a charm cast around the house so that anyone who apparated would end up in a designated place…he's trying to track them down, but so far…nothing."

We watched as the emotions flitted across Andy's face, as they had when we first realized what could possibly be happening to them, or happened to them. Realization, thoughtfulness, fear, sadness, anger.

We just hugged her and tried as best we could to comfort her, to comfort ourselves.

The day dragged on, and Panaro eventually came trudging in, followed by two Healers in mint green robes…from St. Mungo's, come to take Andy away…and Andy's parents, the horrible Cygnus and Druella Black. Their faces were cold and uncaring, clear that they didn't give a hoot that their third daughter was supposedly dying. Panaro looked shocked at the sight of us three, Andy sitting up and not bleeding.

"What…how--???"

"She seems to have had a miraculous recovery, Madam. I guess it was just a matter of time before the curse wore off!" I interrupted quickly with forced cheer.

"Oh! Well then. That's…uh, surprising! But marvelous, nevertheless. I must fetch Professor Dumbledore immediately!"

Druella scoffed at the name, while Cygnus just sneered.

"Your services are no longer required. Thank you, though." Madam Panaro said kindly to the Healers, who left with only a nod of their heads and an annoyed look.

"Well, I'm sure you two would like to visit with your daughter, I'll leave you to-"

"Daughter? What daughter? I see neither Bellatrix nor Narcissa here, do you, my sweet?" Cygnus asked Druella in a voice dripping in sarcasm.

"No. No, I don't." She replied coolly. "All I see is a mudblood, a half-breed, and a piece of _scum _that doesn't know how to treat her inferiors. Let's go."

Andy just glared at her so-called parents, anger plain on her face as they swept out of the room. I never understood how parents could be so _hateful, _how they could _disown _their own daughter! But that was the Black's for you. They couldn't stand the fact that their precious daughter associated with not only Gryffindor's, but muggleborns and half-bloods too. Typical for those pure-blood supremacist.

Madam Panaro was stunned, staring after the Black's. "My word…"

She glanced at Andy, then just _tsk tsk'ed _her way on it, I guess to tell the Headmaster about Andy's recovery.

When he glided in, his robes trailing behind him, he didn't look surprised at all to see Andy alive and well.

"Well, isn't that magnificent?" He said with a twinkle in his eye. He looked at me for a second, winked, before disappearing with Panaro into her office. He left me with the feeling that he _knew, _somehow. How did he DO that?!

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

We spent the night in the Hospital Wing again, Madam Panaro just wanted to give us a bit of a break before we'd have to face our classmates. We would have to actually go to class tomorrow. Face all the staring, all the whispers, the questions…and worst of all, all the consoling comments like, "I'm sorry to hear about your friends" and "I hope they're okay". I wish Dumbledore hadn't told the school. But he said they had a right to know or some bull like that. Not to mention it would be in the paper this morning anyhow.

The three of us pushed our beds together, wanting to be closer. Madam Panaro looked like she was about to object, but she must've thought better of it and left us alone. We all linked hands, wanting to feel that someone was there, a kind of comfort that let us know the other was okay. We all slept fitfully, and when morning came we crept through the still-sleeping castle to the Gryffindor Common Room.

We changed out of the pajamas we had been wearing far too long, showered, and changed into our robes. We hurried through it all, not liking the looks of the deserted beds and Cait's and Marley's things…it looked like they would walk through the door at any minute. Marley would be giving us her expert style advice and Cait would be moaning and groaning about not wanting to get up, waiting till the last minute when we would physically drag her from bed. But Andy wasn't her usual chipper-to-the-point-of-being-annoying like she always was in the morning, and Ella wasn't babbling on incessantly. We just moved as fast as we could, throwing our hair into sloppy pony tails, not bothering to put on any makeup, just putting on the first uniform we found, un-ironed, without the ties, and with flip flops. We covered our messy ensembles with our long, black school robes. But it didn't really feel like we were going to school. More like a funeral, because two of our friends were missing, and our group wasn't the same without them.

We all walked down to breakfast, eyes downcast, close together, trying to ignore the whispering. We had almost made it, but of course, there were the Marauders, and they couldn't _possibly _leave us alone for one bloody day!

Sirius rushed up to his favorite cousin, giving her a big bear hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" He exclaimed, actually being serious for once. "I came to see you in the Hospital Wing…they said you were going to St. Mungo's! They said you were un-healable! How---?"

She just smiled up at Sirius, glancing uncertainly at me. "Um, it was just some freak curse that healed in time."

"Oh, well that's great! I'm so glad you're okay, cuz." He gave her another hug. It was quite sweet, really. Maybe I could see why Andy, Cait, and Marley like them so much…maybe.

"How are you, Lily?" Potter asked, voice all low and husky, eyes actually looking concerned.

"What do you think, Potter? None of us want to talk about it, so just leave us alone." I said coldly, really not in the mood. I saw the hurt cross his eyes before he arranged his face in a calm mask.

"Right. Well, I'm sure they'll find them." He said with a small smile.

I vaguely remembered him holding me while I cried. I thought on it for a moment, but decided that it must've been my imagination. I _was _kind of out of my mind at that time.

The seven of us walked the rest of the way to breakfast. The whispers had stopped, and it seemed like people weren't interested in us. I was about to point this out and ask why the staring and whispers had stopped, but then I noticed the Marauders' expressions. All four of them had arms crossed, glaring at anyone who looked our way. I couldn't help it, I laughed at the menacing looks on their faces.

"What's so funny?" Ella asked. I just pointed to the Marauders' faces. I couldn't stop laughing, I was starting to tear up and was getting a stitch in my side. It's just one of those things, when you haven't laughed in awhile, any little thing can set you off. And then you can't _stop! _I just laughed and laughed, stumbling along to the point that I couldn't walk and plopped down in the middle of the corridor. Then, of course, I had to laugh at the fact that I fell down! I laughed and laughed, my friends and the Marauders staring at me like I had grown another head. But what's a girl to do? I couldn't stop! I just laughed and laughed, loving the feeling. After a few shocked moments of staring at me, slowly, the others started laughing too. They started with a giggle, a chuckle, building up to the incapacitating, booming laughter as they collapsed beside me. We laughed at nothing in particular, just laughing at laughter, loving it the whole time. People passed by, staring of course, so we laughed at their expressions. We laughed and laughed till our sides hurt and we clung to each other, tears streaming down our faces. We quieted and started up again multiple times, before Sirius' stomach rumbled loudly. We laughed at that, of course, but managed to clamber our way to our feet and make it to breakfast, a little light headed.

"That was totally random." Andy commented.

And of course, we laughed.

But once we entered the Great Hall, our giddy moods vanished, because every head turned to stare at us. And I mean _every single one. _It was a scene straight from a movie. We all began to walk to our seats, the horrible feeling returning to us as we thought of the reason _why_ they all stared.

Not to mention, scattered about on the tables, and in student's hands, was today's issue of The Daily Prophet. And staring up at them from hundreds of front page's, were the faces of Caitlin and Marlene, smiling and looking like their cheerful selves…only they were under the title "DEATH EATERS SUSPECTED IN GIRLS DISSAPEARENCE" It was hundreds of black and white reminders of the horrors they had experienced. A hundred reminders they couldn't take their eyes off of. A hundred reminders they just wanted to disappear. Along with the hundreds of pitying or curious faces. We bent our heads, shuffling to the end of the Gryffindor table, sitting down apart from everyone else. The Marauders seemed to have taken up the job of our body guards, and we definitely weren't complaining. They continued on with their glaring, only this time it wasn't funny at all. The seven of us just huddled together, ignoring the whispers as best we could. A few girls tried to come up to us, people we had classes with and were friendly with, like Doreen Meadowes and Trinity Chang from Ravenclaw. But they didn't take another step when Potter gave them A Look. It was quite brilliant, really. We didn't have to listen to anybody's crap. Maybe I could rent these guys out to ward off annoyances. Except, most of the time they _were _the annoyances…well, mostly Potter. I think I'll keep Sirius and Remus, though. Remus is sweet, and Sirius can be funny, and pretty nice sometimes too. Not to mention, no matter how much someone hated the Marauders, (okay, no matter how much Ella and I hated them) nobody could deny that Sirius was…well, to put it lightly, a Sex God. No joke! This guy…well, he was _hot. _Andy rather regrets that he's related to her…she says if he wasn't like a brother to her, she'd marry him, just on his looks.

Despite our super bad ass protector dudes, breakfast was torture, and we were quick to escape. In all our classes, we had to endure the same thing, but there was always at least one Marauder to help us. I don't know why they were being so nice…but we weren't going to complain! They saved us a LOT of explaining. It was such a relief. Now if only Marley and Cait could see this. Marley had had a crush on Remus since forever, and Cait would be thrilled I wasn't throwing a hissy fit and hexing Potter into oblivion.

The Marauders saw us to the safety of the girls staircase, where we flopped across our beds, pretending to do homework when our thoughts were elsewhere.

Winter walked in at some point. I looked up, like always, hoping that it was Our Winter, but it was always little miss Ice Queen.

She sneered at us, such a Slytherin thing to do. She grabbed some of her things before walking out the door. She poked her head back in, and we all looked up.

"They'll never be found. They're going to rot forever like the scum that they are." She smirked, before flouncing out again.

Ella burst into tears for the umpteenth time. Andy and I tried to hold it together, we knew we needed to be strong for each other, or we would go insane. But that knowledge didn't keep a few tears from seeping from under our eye lids, clumping our lashes and leaving salty tracks.

It was almost curfew when I realized I needed to get some of my stuff from my dorm.

I was about to make a break for it, when an owl tapped at the window. I let the auburn-with-white-speckles owl in, and he dropped a scrap of parchment on my head before settling on Andy's shoulder.

_Lily, _

_I was wondering if you needed anything from your room? I know you don't want to leave your friends, so can I get anything for you? Just let me know. _

_-James Potter _

"Is this for _REAL?!" _I asked, showing the note to Ella and Andy.

"Oh, c'mon Lil, he's not that bad! He was really nice today."

"Yeah, it's not like he's going to sabotage all your stuff or something!"

I just stared at them.

"Oh my Merlin! That's _exactly _his plan! He's going to scrub a toilet with my toothbrush! Dye my clothes! Drape my underwear all over Hogwarts!"

"Do you _hear _yourself Lily?! Sure James has pranked you in the past, but I doubt he would under the…er…circumstances."

"I don't trust him. I don't care. Can't I just borrow some of your guys' stuff? And I can conjure a toothbrush…"

Andy just sighed and shook her head.

"You can borrow my clothes and stuff, but only if you promise to not judge them so quick. Maybe they've changed." Ella said.

"Oh. My. Merlin. What are you TALKING about!? What happened to you! Oh, God, they've brainwashed you! What happened to my fellow Marauder-Hater?! Ella! What's gotten into you?!" I exclaimed, shocked.

"Lily, I just think they've changed. They haven't done anything mean so far this year. I'm just saying, I think we should give them a chance. We can go back to hating them if they do something mean."

"Fine. I'll give them a flippin' chance."

"Be nice to them." Ella warned with narrowed eyes. "And write back to James."

"Yeah, yeah, fine…"

I begrudgingly grabbed a piece of parchment, a muggle pencil, and scrawled a quick, _nice, _note.

_Potter, _

_Thanks for asking, but Ella is letting me borrow her things for now. _

_-Lily Evans _

Ella read the note, _tsk tsk-ing _at my use of his surname, and then scrawled another note at the bottom.

_P.S. We'd all like to thank you for…well, for today. Thanks. (: _

I rolled my eyes but allowed the sentence that implied I was thankful of James Potter.

We sent it off with that bird, who Andy said belonged to James and was named Zephyrus. Interesting that we both named our owl's after Greek god's. But whatever.

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

***THIRD PERSON***

Marley and Cait were still huddled in that dank cell. They had been getting regular torturing, at least once an hour. They were covered in cuts and bruises, and couldn't even count how many times they'd been crucio'd. They couldn't take it anymore! They had to get out of here. And the only way they could think of, was to Apparate.

They mustered up the energy they needed, linking arms. Cait turned on the spot, and they were sucked into the familiar, tight, rubber tube. But something odd happened, and the tube seemed to turn inside out, spitting them onto a rug in front of a crackling fire. They looked around, wondering what the heck had just happened, when they heard a cackling laugh.

"Well. I was wondering when you would try that. But I'm not an idiot."

Voldemort himself strode in the room. The girls muffled their gasps at the sight of the snake-like man. Not to mention the giant, sinister snake that was slithering behind him.

The snake flicked it's tongue out, tasting the air. It hissed, turning it's head towards its master.

_And Voldemort hissed back! _

The girls were positively shocked. He was a _parsel-mouth?!_

But they didn't have time to dwell on the fact, because he looked down at Caitlin, smiling evilly.

"You will make a perfect snack for my dear Nagini, mudblood."

Caitlin didn't have time to realize what this meant before the colossal snake was upon her, constricting.

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

A/N Oooohhh, cliffy! Don't you just LOVE those?! Lol 333 I sure do! ;)

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, even though you TOTALLY DIDN'T DESERVE IT b/c I only got TWO REVIEWS! Grrr to you all. Except, of course, Sirius'Sweetheart (aka my best friend lol) and EOshipper2010! (:

Please please pleaseeee review? PRETTY PLEASE? I absolutely LOVE reviews, and, psh, it's REALLY not that hard! Click that lovely little button and you will have good fortune! You shall meet the Marauder of your choice and live happily ever after! Woooo! (:

xoxo

B


End file.
